About

$6,336

pledged of $5,500 goal

117

backers

Hello!

My name is Megan Baehr! I am a cartoonist and fiber artist living and working in Southern Vermont. Once upon a time (in 2008) I started a small creative business called Nonesuch Garden. My star product is the Nonesuch Doll. These little wool felt wonders are lovingly designed, meticulously hand sewn, and presented to the world all on my own.

Presentation is everything!

Packaging has played a big role in the development of the Nonesuch Dolls. When Nonesuch Garden was new, the Nonesuch Dolls were 10% smaller, lacked joints, and arrived unpackaged. I struggled to attract my intended demographic; adults who collect cute designer toys and figures. It became clear to me that I needed to step it up.

In 2009, I decided to develop packaging for the Nonesuch Dolls. I purchased a small batch of clear, vinyl boxes to experiment with and designed a Certificate of Authenticity. When I discovered that my current Nonesuch Doll design was too small for the boxes, I did something that would fundamentally change Nonesuch Garden. Instead of getting smaller boxes, I altered the Nonesuch Doll design. I increased the size of the dolls and upgraded to string jointed arms and legs. The updated doll, along with the new packaging and COAs, was just what Nonesuch Garden needed to capture the attention of my intended demographic (and beyond!). My small business grew and has gained a faithful following that I'm grateful for every day.

The vinyl boxes have been a signature of Nonesuch Garden ever since. It
was not an easy choice for me to move on to something new. However, I
believe it is necessary and hope it will have a similar, forward moving
effect on Nonesuch Garden and the Nonesuch Dolls. It's time to start a
new chapter in my small business adventure!

The Evolution of the Nonesuch Dolls

Why are you changing your packaging?

1) Getting the vinyl boxes was a humongous chore. My supplier has this odd-sized box in two styles filed under the same item number. One of these styles is perfect for the Nonesuch Dolls and the other is not. The only way for me to get the right box was to beg and beg until I could convince someone to go into the warehouse and sort out the correct boxes for me. It was an embarrassing and frustrating process for both sides.

2) Assembling the old packaging was extremely time consuming. I cut, score, fold, and die-punch all of the paper inserts by hand. The boxes arrive flat and need to be constructed. The new box will be set-up and Nonesuch Doll ready from the moment they come off the truck, saving time that could be better spent making the dolls themselves.

3) You can dress up a cheap box, but it's still a cheap box. The Nonesuch Dolls deserve packaging that reflects the same standard of quality craftsmanship that they are made with. I am always striving to present Nonesuch Garden in the most professional way possible. This beautiful new box will help me do just that.

4) Most importantly, vinyl boxes aren't exactly environmentally friendly. Vinyl is a man-made material made from ethylene (found in crude oil) and chlorine. Yuck. I can't control if my boxes are being kept, recycled, or thrown away. This uncertainty prompted me to look for an alternative that would be more Eco-friendly in all three scenarios. I wanted a box that would first and foremost encourage people to reuse it, but can also be tossed into the recycling bin without question and decompose if it ends up in a landfill.

Tell me more about the new box!

The new Nonesuch Doll box is going to be a two piece rigid set-up box with a black chipboard interior and a deep blue-green paper exterior. The Nonesuch Garden insignia will be stamped in silver foil on the lid. The inside dimensions will be 6x4x4 inches, creating a spacious bed for Nonesuch Dolls of all shapes and sizes!

This box will be manufactured in the USA by a company that is dedicated
to protecting the environment. The chipboard is made with 100% recycled
content and the cover paper is dyed with water-based inks. This sturdy
box will be reusable, recyclable, and gentle on the Earth.

Box Mock-Up

Box Sample

Tell me more about the Certificates of Authenticity!

All Nonesuch Garden art dolls arrive with a Certificate of Authenticity. I currently cut, print, and emboss each and every certificate individually by hand. It has been my dream for many years to have my certificates professionally printed. Not only will they look amazing, they will save me precious time.

I chose letterpress as the printing method for it's charming history and the handmade quality of the product. The Nonesuch Garden Certificates of Authenticity will be printed in charcoal gray ink and gold foil that will compliment the new box and add an extra touch of luxury to my packaging.

REWARDS!

You can't have a Kickstarter without great rewards! Check out these awesome incentives:

Plus one Nonesuch Garden box, one unpainted brooch, one charm, and one pin badge set.

$150 - Limited Edition Nonesuch Doll, Mythos the Lion

Plus one Nonesuch Garden box, one painted brooch, one charm, and one pin badge set.

Reward Chart

Why so many lions?

I chose my lion design to represent my Kickstarter campaign for a couple
of reasons. Dandy the Lion was the first, true Nonesuch Doll I ever
made and remains my favorite design to this day. If I'm going to be
making handmade rewards, they might as well feature my favorite
design! Also, lions represent strength and courage, two things I need
to see this major change through.

Ambroise, Mythos, & Dandy

Where will my money go?

Your pledge will help fund the manufacturing and freight of 500 custom boxes, the printing of 100 custom letterpressed COAs, a one year storage rental for the new boxes, the creation and shipping of the rewards, and a little bit extra for incidentals and fees that this project will incur.

What if funding goes over $5,500?

I have a few more things I would love to achieve if funding goes over $5,500. Backers will also benefit as I will be adding bonus rewards as my stretch goals are met! The rewards will be revealed as each stretch goal is met.

Stretch Goal #1: $6,500

If funding reaches $6,500, I will be able to order 500 custom letter pressed COAs. Hooray! A bonus reward will be added for all tiers of $5 and up.

Stretch Goal #2: $10,000

If funding reaches $10,000, I will be able to upgrade my one year storage rental into a one year studio rental. This will give me the double benefit of being able to store 500 boxes and move Nonesuch Garden out of my one bedroom apartment and into a devoted workspace. A bonus reward will be added for all tiers of $25 and up.

Stretch Goal #3: $???

TBA!

Risks and challenges

I am limiting the number of handmade rewards so that I can make them all within a reasonable time frame. The handmade rewards have been designed, patterned, and successfully prototyped so I am ready to go as soon as I have the final numbers in. The boxes, COAs, and other rewards are ready to be sent off to be manufactured as soon as the funds from this campaign are released to me. The turnaround times are generous to grant me some wiggle room in the event of manufacturing delays, illness, or family emergency. If any problems should arise for any of the reward tiers, my Backers will be promptly notified.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $150 or more
About $150

A Kickstarter exclusive Nonesuch Doll, Mythos the Lion, packaged in the new Nonesuch Garden box. You will also receive one painted brooch, one charm, and a pin badge set. This limited doll's edition number will be determined by how many dolls are claimed (up to 25).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

ALL THE LIONS! This reward includes one Mythos the Lion doll, one Dandy the Lion doll, one Ambroise the White Lion doll, all three painted brooches, one unpainted brooch, one charm, and a pin badge set. This epic collection will be packaged in four of the new Nonesuch Garden boxes. Shipping is on me!